Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Happiness and Satisfaction

I dislike the word "happiness," but for the sake of clear communicationwith the rest of the world, I shall momentarily put aside my preferencefor personal connotation and utilize the word to express the generallyaccepted meaning.

Happiness and Satisfaction. It's what everyone seems to be seeking.

It's also what none of them seem to be finding.

As easily-stressed out as I may be, I consider myself to be a fairly happyAND satisfied person. Especially in terms of relative happiness and satisfaction,when compared to the overall average of everyone else.

Why?

I am happy and satisfied because I know what I want.

How else can anyone expect to be happy and satisfied? With the exception ofgeneral statements about every kind of negativity possible, there is nothingI hear people say more than, "I am looking for happiness" or "I am trying tofind happiness."

Happiness is not an object that can be found. This is why so many peopleremain unhappy and cannot coherently express WHY they are unhappy.

Happiness is not an object, it is a derivative. Happiness is a derivativebecause it must be derived from something, whether it be possession, person,or place.

One does not simply "find happiness," it simply is not possible.

It is absolutely impossible to be happy without first knowing what exactlywill satisfy you.

It is absolutely impossible to be satisfied without first knowing whatexactly will make you happy.

I feel like I have not said this enough.

But really! This is the problem! People are unhappy because they simplyhave not taken the time to define what they believe can have the power tobring them happiness.

I certainly understand that there are other causes for unhappiness, butthis is the most fundamental one.

Another chief cause of unhappiness occurs when a person does know where hisor her happiness would potentially be found, but cannot reach that place.

For instance, the person that wants to find happiness in a high-paying jobcannot achieve happiness because of a lack of job openings or the requirementto work his or her way up the employment ladder.

How to cope with this? How to be happy when happiness is being blocked?

Steady happiness (joy, fulfillment) cannot be found within such impermanent(shallow) things like money and jobs because of their changing nature.

Therefore, for a more steady happiness (joy, fulfillment) to be achieved, one'sgoal should not rest in such impermanent (shallow) things, but rather a moresteady and unchangeable goal.

For me, these steady and unchangeable goals are very humanitarian in nature.